natural therapist convicted of manslaughter death of 12 year ol

A Quebec judge convicts a natural therapist in the manslaughter death of a diabetic 12-year-old. CP 2005-04-23 03:53:50

GATINEAU, QUE. -- A Quebec judge convicted a naturotherapist of manslaughter and criminal negligence causing death yesterday for advising a woman to replace her diabetic daughter's insulin treatment with cane sugar, pear juice, olive oil massages and sea salt baths. Louise Lortie, a self-proclaimed natural therapist from Gatineau testified she gave the advice after consulting a crystal ball, a pendulum and her archangel, Michael.

Lisanne Manseau, 12, of Hull, Que., died March 28, 1994, three days after starting Lortie's treatment.

Lortie, now 68, was first charged criminally in 1995. That year, she was also found guilty of 34 charges laid by the Quebec College of Physicians of illegally practising medicine.

Convicted in 1999 of criminal negligence causing death, she appealed and won.

The appeal court ordered a new trial because of comments made by the judge.

In the first trial, Lortie received a three-year sentence.

This time around, the prosecution says it will wait for a presentence report that will assess Lortie's condition before suggesting a sentence.

In his decision, Judge Valmont Beaulieu called Lortie a charlatan and said she considered Lisanne a scientific experiment.